Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Valiha Jones. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Valiha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The Sapphire Sun was established in 2021 while lamenting over how gorgeous the elves were from Lord of The Rings. I wished there were some that looked like me, and thought it would be so fascinating to see each culture’s take on these wonderful, mythical creatures. So, I set out to make pieces of art that I could see all sorts of fantastical beings wearing, no matter what they look like.

Inclusivity in the fantasy space may not seem like an important issue for most, but for someone who greatly enjoys these kinds of spaces its nice to see other people that look like me being welcomed.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Valiha and I’m 31 years old. I’ve always been an artist, and I never shrunk away at the opportunity to try out new mediums and ideas. I actually came up with the idea for my business while scrolling through social media. I saw someone wearing a pair of fairy wings and said to myself “How cool would it be if those were hair sticks you could wear in your hair?” I immediately started prototyping and came out with my first set of wings which were hugely popular! Over time I added new designs and improved my product to make it more sturdy, more accessible to different hair types, and more durable.

As time stretches on I’ve been curious about more mythical creatures that I can create unique hair items for. Instead of just being the “fairy hair lady” I want to include creatures like mermaids and elves so that I can be “the fantasy hair lady”! I think the fact that I focus solely on hair is what sets me apart. Most fantasy creators are making wings and things for your back and body. I love having this be my focus because I’ve always felt hair was a wonderful medium for expression! At my old job people always loved to see me come in with a new hair style every few weeks. Sometimes people didn’t even recognize me which always made me laugh. I want to spread my love for hair and fantasy to as many people as I can through my little corner of the internet.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I wish I could say that I started with a lot of capital to get my business going but in reality it was completely self funded to start. Most of the money I made from working went right back into my business buying supplies and products to test. The people at Michaels and Joanne were seeing me on a consistent basis! Eventually my dad saw how well I was doing and believed in my business and invested some money for me to get a large bulk order of supplies. My brother who also runs his own small business gave me so many pointers and helped my upgrade my machinery which was how I was able to optimize my production. My good friend also invested quite heavily in my business as well. So when I think about capital I think of the people around me who believed in my business enough to invest in it.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I am not a fan of posting on social media at all, and I’m still that way unfortunately. Oddly enough I’ve had my biggest success with drawing people in by being myself! I didn’t spend a lot of time editing and planning out videos, I just posted thoughts that I had authentically and people really enjoyed that! I struggle to not make posting a huge production that is manicured and polished. Finding a balance between these two concepts is a little fun to navigate with changing algorithms and trends, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for the next. Finding your voice is probably the most important thing when it comes to social media, especially with moving image.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thesapphiresun.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.sapphire.sun/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082135940972